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Santana turns in solid effort in final tuneup

Santana turns in solid effort in final tuneup

4/3/12: Ervin Santana strikes out five Dodgers over five innings of one-run ball

By Quinn Roberts
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MLB.com |

LOS ANGELES -- Matt Treanor's two-run single highlighted a three-run sixth inning as the Dodgers beat the Angels, 4-1, on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in front of 20,009.

After Matt Kemp in the fifth inning and Albert Pujols in the sixth exchanged sacrifice flies, the Dodgers brought eight to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Juan Rivera and Tony Gwynn hit singles to begin it, before an RBI single by Justin Sellers and then Treanor's big hit.

Tuesday marked the second of three Freeway Series exhibition games between the heated rivals and the first time the Dodgers played at home since the end of last season. The Angels won on Monday night and the final spring game for both teams takes place here on Wednesday afternoon.

In his final tuneup before the regular season, Dodgers starter Aaron Harang was solid, tossing four innings and giving up only one hit. Meanwhile, Angels starter Ervin Santana tossed five innings, giving up one run on six hits, while striking out five.

The Angels squashed the Dodgers' chances of getting on the board first thanks to some fine defensive plays in the second inning.

Rivera led off with a double down the left-field line, but was later picked off thanks to first baseman Pujols nabbing a fielder's choice off the bat of Gwynn and throwing Riviera out. Catcher Bobby Wilson then threw Gwynn out at second, before Juan Uribe ended the inning with a strikeout.

A night after going 0-for-4 against the Angels with three strikeouts, Kemp had the same issues Tuesday. Already having struck out in the first inning, Kemp struck out to end the third with runners on first and second.

However, Kemp was a part of the Dodgers' first run, when with the bases loaded and one out, he hit a fly ball to center field, scoring Sellers to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead in the fifth.

The Halos answered right back with a run of their own in the sixth, when Pujols hit a sac fly to left field that was nearly a home run.

The Angels threatened in the eighth with two singles and a walk with two outs, however left-hander Scott Rice got out of the jam, with pinch-hitter Alexi Amarista grounding out to first base.

Up next for Angels: The Angels will play Game 3 of the three-game Freeway Series on Wednesday, taking on the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in a 12:10 p.m. PT game on MLB.TV and Fox Sports West. Taking the ball will be C.J. Wilson, who has posted a 1.33 ERA in five Cactus League starts and will oppose Dodgers righty Nathan Eovaldi in the final spring game for each team.

Quinn Roberts is a reporter for MLB.com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.